Young people make mistakes and you don’t want your son or daughter starting life with a criminal record. A clean criminal history is critical to success in getting a good education, a good job and having a successful career. Kids can do some pretty stupid things and when they go away to school, sometimes get wrapped up in the party lifestyle and end up on the wrong side of the law. Peter Aiken actually raised four children who grew up in a party town (Ft. Lauderdale) and attended colleges in Florida. He understands the mistakes kids can make.

What are the most common student crimes?

Crimes involving drugs and alcohol are at the top of the list. Underage drinking, particularly on Spring Break leads to a lot of arrests. Alcohol can result in a DUI arrest or in some instances to more serious charges like aggravated battery or resisting with violence. Kids, under the influence do not think straight. They may destroy property and get charged with malicious mischief or shoplift and get charged with petty theft or worse yet grand theft. In some instances they resist arrest and get charged with battery on a law enforcement officer. Good kids make bad mistakes and a simple mistake should not destroy their life and future. Drinking and driving can have some really bad consequences if an accident is involved and if someone is hurt or killed. Vehicular homicide resulting from racing on the street or DUI can destroy your child’s life and put them in prison for ten or more years. Fighting with a roommate can result in a domestic violence arrest or brawling in a bar, if someone is injured can land them in prison. As a father and criminal lawyer I do understand how very important it is to win, to keep a child out of jail and to preserve a clean record. That is our goal.

Defending Campus Sex Crimes

By far, the worst thing your child can be accused of is a sex crime. In Florida, the Internet Sex Stings have resulted in the arrest of college students over and over. Kids on the Internet dating sites fall for police bait and switch tactics and often get talked into meeting with someone underage or sexting with undercover cops posing as 14 or 15 year old girls. In the age of the Internet, sexting, sending sexually explicit pictures, can get you arrested. Young men are often immature and do some outrageous things when it comes to sex. We have defended men for sending penis “pics” or traveling to meet a minor or solicitation of a minor all over Florida. If convicted, you son could end up being a registered sex offender for life. His life would be over. Peter Aiken has handled over twenty five sex sting cases in the last three years and has extensive experience in defending and negotiating good dispositions for young men. Visit our blog (www.floridasexstinglawyer.com) on sex stings for more information. Indecent exposure is also a common offense. Something as simple as public urination can result in a serious charge if a child observes it. Did you know that masturbation can land someone in jail? Sexting, sending pics on an I phone or smartphone can also result in an arrest if the person on the other end is a minor. Young underage girls send sexy naked pictures to college boyfriends. Some of the pictures are really sexual and if found on your son’s phone can get him arrested and prosecuted. As a sex crime lawyer, Peter Aiken can often get charges dismissed, reduced or resolved without jail or a criminal record. Hiring an attorney is an important decision. Do not base it on advertising.

Campus Date Rape

Every day you read or hear another story about some college student being accused of sexual battery. In the context of fraternity parties, college outings, student events or simple dating, false accusations are common. Peter Aiken handles cases involving campus sex crime. As a sex crime lawyer he knows the statistics reflect that many date rape accusations are simply false. Young girls sometimes do not want to take responsibility for their own bad decisions. A night of drinking and casual sex, combined with a little guilt can result in a totally false accusation against another student. Often young college girls claim they were drugged or plied with alcohol to the point that they were incapable of consent. Often, this is simply not true and just an excuse for their own lack of judgment. Casual sex on campus is rampant. Sometimes, days and weeks later, a girl with buyer’s remorse will falsely accuse some young man and get him arrested. A date rape charge can end a student’s education, sport’s career and freedom. Over and over we hear of the false accusations by college girls that later admit it was a lie or an exaggeration. Defending date rape cases is what we do. Thorough investigation and preparation can make a difference. We get the texts, the emails, the statements of other witnesses and we dig into the background of the accuser.